a keep-sake from me; [of] such things as friendly hosts bestow on their guests."
But him the blue-eyed goddess Minerva forthwith answered: "Do not any longer detain me, since I am anxious for my journey; but as to the present, whatever thy heart urges thee to give me, give it when I return again, that I may take it home, [yourself] having received a very beauteous [gift]; for it shall be a worthy recompence for thee.[1]
Thus having spoken, blue-eyed Minerva departed, and flew aloft[2] like a bird; but she placed strength and courage in his feelings, and put him still more in mind of his father than before: but he, considering within his breast, was astonished on reflection, for he thought that she was a god. Then the godlike man immediately went amongst the suitors; and the illustrious bard was singing to them, but they sat listening in silence; [for] he was singing the sad return of the Grecians, which Pallas Minerva ordained from Troy. His divine song prudent Penelope, the daughter of Icarus, understood in her mind from the upper chamber;[3] and she came down the lofty stairs of her palace, not alone, for two female attendants followed with her. But when she, divine amongst women, came to the suitors, she stood near the threshold of the stout-built hall, holding up a slender veil before her cheeks; and a modest female attendant stood on either side of her, and weeping she then addressed the divine bard.
"O Phemius, since thou dost ken many other things to cheer mortals, the deeds of men and of gods, which bards are wont to celebrate; do thou sit down then, and sing one of these, and let them drink their wine in silence: but cease from this sad strain, which for ever wears my[4] heart within my breast: for unceasing grief has exceedingly come upon me. For I regret such a person,[5] ever remembering the man,
- ↑ It was usual for hosts to make presents to their guests, and for guests to return others to their hosts; as in the Iliad, Bellerophon is said to have given χρυσοῦν ποτήριον. ζ v. 220. Old translation, ἄξιον ἔσσετ' ἀμοιβῆς = "it shall be fit for a recompence for thee."
- ↑ Such seems to be the sense of ἀνοπαῖα = ἀνωφερὴς. See Loewe.
- ↑ i. e. being in the upper chamber, she understood it.
- ↑ The young student will remember that in Homer, as in Pindar, φιλὸς is continually used for the possessive pronoun = "meus, suus."
- ↑ So in Horace, "Quis desiderio sit pudor aut modus Tam cari capitis." Soph. Antig. i. Ἰσμηνης κάρα.
